1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swing hinge device of a portable terminal, which can move in a straight line or along a curved direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the term “portable terminals” refers to devices which a user can carry with him/her and perform wireless communication with another user. Such portable terminals may be classified into various types according to their appearance, such as bar-type portable terminals, flip-type portable terminals, and folder-type portable terminals. The bar-type portable terminal has a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable terminal has a flip panel that is pivotally mounted to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit. The folder-type portable terminal has a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit in such a manner that the folder can be rotated in order to be folded on or unfolded from the housing.
Further, portable terminals may be classified as rotation-type terminals and sliding-type terminals according to the way of opening and closing the terminals. In the rotation-type portable terminal, two housings are coupled to each other in a manner such that one housing rotates to be opened or closed relative to the other while facing each other. In the sliding-type portable terminal, two housings are coupled to each other in a manner such that one housing slides to be opened or closed relative to the other. The various classifications of portable terminals are understood by those skilled in the art.
To increase portability, the various types of conventional portable terminals have been developed in favor of lightness and compactness, and also are useful for voice or image communication with another user.
Although mobile communication services continue to diversify, and portable terminals have been developed as multimedia devices, the portable terminals have not diverged from the conventional folder-type and sliding-type. Further, as the use of the portable terminal increases in popularity, users' tastes also become more varied. However, the conventional types of the portable terminals fail to satisfy user's various tastes.
A display swing-type portable terminal has been developed in order to solve the above-mentioned problem.
In the display swing-type portable terminal, a display unit can be rotated in a landscape mode in order to watch a video.
As shown in FIG. 1, the display swing-type portable terminal includes a body housing 10 with a first hinge axis A1, a folder 20, and a connection member 30. The body housing 10 is provided with different key buttons 11 and a microphone 12 mounted thereon. The connection member 30 connects the folder 20 to the body housing 10 and allows the folder 20 to rotate about the first hinge axis A1 in a direction of approaching or departing from the body housing 10. In addition, the connection member 30 has a second hinge axis, to which the folder is rotatively connected while facing the connection member 30. The folder 30 is provided with a display unit 21, and a speaker 22.
In the conventional display swing-type portable terminal, however, a rotation space D1 between the body housing and the folder is required, in which corners of the rectangular display unit can rotate when the folder is opened about the first hinge axis in order to rotate the display unit of the folder. Since the rotation axis of the display unit is located at the center portion of the folder, the rotation space is unnecessarily present when the folder rotates. Further, as the display unit increases in size, the rotation space D1 also increases, which increases of the size of the portable terminal and deteriorates the compactness of the portable terminal.
In addition, if the display unit has an increased size, the rotation axis is located at an upper portion of the folder. Thus, there is a disadvantage in that the folder topples down, even when the folder is put on a desk or a floor.